Chapter 5: The Death of a Star NOVEL VER.

F-Class District 4 — Night

The streets were already burning.

Ash and radiant light collided in the sky as two forces tore through each other’s will.

Yells, blasts, and the sharp hiss of heat filled the air.

On the ground, Aurthor’s body jolted— blood spraying from his mouth.

“Gh—!!”

In the same moment, Neighbor 5 grabbed him by the collar and yanked him out of the blast zone. “Move, Author! Or you die!”

Artemis—Neighbor 7—stood at the center of the chaos. His eyes glimmered like glass beneath a storm. He pressed his palms together, a quiet murmur slipping between his teeth.

“Old Sol…”

The world flared white.

A miniature sun bloomed between the palm of his outstretched hand, heatless yet all-consuming, swelling until it dwarfed him.

BAAAM!!

VOOOOM!!

The sphere launched forward and detonated mid-air, carving fire across the block. Houses and cars vaporized.

The shockwave hurled recruits through smoke and rubble.

Recruit 33 stood her ground, calm but tense. Beside her, Recruit 32 stood frozen, terrified.

Artemis clapped again, slower this time.

“Stars of Heaven…”

The sky itself began to move.

Hundreds of glowing points shimmered closer, twisting in slow spirals.

Recruit 31’s voice trembled. “Are the stars… moving toward us…?”

A blinding radiance fell upon them.

Heaven was descending.

⸻

Rain of Swords

The stars elongated mid-fall—each one a sword forged from light.

They sliced through the clouds, screaming toward the city.

Air pressure buckled. FWOOOOOM—

Recruit 35 sprinted for his life. “Wait—no!!”

A radiant blade struck through his chest, pinning him to the ground.

Blood poured down the glowing edge as his body twitched, disbelief frozen on his face.

Panic erupted.

“Run!! They’re right behind us!!”

Swords rained without mercy.

Recruits were impaled mid-stride, their screams drowned by divine thunder.

In an alley, Recruit 70 crouched behind a cracked wall, forcing a smirk.

“I’ll wait it out. I’m not dying here…”

A sword split the sky above him.

Unaware of it he whispers, “—especially for people I just met.”

SHNK!

The wall, the ground, and his entire body were cleaved as one.

Across the street, Recruit 31 still stood motionless, staring upward as light fell like judgment.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Recruit 32 shouted.

Then the sound cut—only a ringing tone that could be heard by recruit 32.

Tiiing—

A single sword pierced through 31’s chest, lifting him mid-step. Blood traced down the glowing weapon in slow rhythm.

Recruit 32 whispered, “No…”

The Counter

Another blade screamed toward 33’s side.

Before it could strike, a figure materialized between them—Recruit 67.

Her massive shield met the sword in a blinding clash.

KRRRSHHH—!!

“PUNCH COUNTER!!”

She slammed her fist into the back of the shield, the radiant sword shattering into dust.

Fragments rained around them, glowing like dying fireflies.

“You two should leave while you still can,” 67 said, lowering her arm.

“Otherwise… we’ll all die here.”

33 clenched her fists.

“I’m not running.”

⸻

Aftermath

Further down the ruined street, Neighbor 5 crouched beside the fallen Author.

“Easy… don’t push yourself. Artemis has it handled.”

“Kkhffk—right…”

Artemis stood ahead, motionless amid the fires. The reflection of the flames shimmered across his grin.

“They were led like dogs,” he said quietly, voice echoing through smoke.

“Marched straight to their deaths.”

He lifted one hand, palm open, as if presenting the destruction itself.

“Either way… it’s not their fault,” he added, tone almost sympathetic.

“They chased a dream—whatever it was.”

Behind him, the remaining neighbors watched from a distance—terrified, hollow-eyed, unsure whether to flee or pray.

Artemis didn’t bother turning around. He flicked his wrist in a lazy backhand motion, dismissing them like dust.

“You back there—just watching, yet can’t fight,” he said, voice dropping to ice.

“There’s no point being here… unless you want to die like the rest of them.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

Neighbor 3 trembled, gripping his pistol so hard his knuckles blanched.

“I… I shot at the government…” he whispered.

“What are they gonna do… when they find out…?”

Before anyone could answer, another voice cut through the fear.

From behind the crowd, a figure stepped forward—Neighbor 6.

He moved past 3 without hesitation, jaw tight, irritation etched across his face.

“You heard him loud and clear,” he said flatly.

“I don’t know why any of you are still standing here.”

The others fell silent as he strode toward Artemis, drawing every fearful eye with him.

The crowd begins to scatter. Only Artemis, Irmgrad, Author and Neigbor 5 remained.

Artemis smirked without looking up. “Ahh—Irmgard. At last,” he said.

“You’ve come… as I knew you would.”

Irmgard stopped beside him, face hard and calm.

“What exactly are you trying to pull?”

“I’m not pulling anything,” Artemis replied, tilting his head with mock disinterest.

“Just following orders. Same as you.”

A few feet away, Author glared up at them while Neighbor 5 tried to patch his wounds.

Artemis barely looked over, annoyance flickering in his eyes.

“You two stand back and watch. That’s all you’re good for.”

He drew his other hand from his pocket, taking a battle stance.

“And as soon as he recovers… both of you get out of my sight. You’re too weak to keep up.”

Neighbor 5’s voice cracked. “Wait—you can’t be serious!”

⸻

Rising Rage

The Clash

Artemis burst forward.

He slapped his chest — PAP! — and a radiant battle-axe materialized in his grip.

Air distorted around him. FWOOOSH!

“He’s coming,” 33 warned.

“Bring it on,” 67 replied.

33 cracked the ground beneath her heel and launched forward.

Behind her, 67 summoned holographic hounds — glowing, digital beasts.

“AND LET’S SEND THE DOGS!!”

They charged together.

Artemis slid low, swinging his axe in a smooth arc.

“Pathetic.”

The dogs exploded into fragments. SHKKT! VVVSHHH—

He spun, cleaving through more. “Weak! All of you!”

One holographic dog bit into his arm — CHOMP! — blood trickled down.

Artemis grinned. “Try again!”

He hurled the creature into another, detonating both in light.

33 with her flight power— flying low, hooking his legs and dragging him across the street.

“You’re just proving my point…” he hissed.

He twisted, swinging the axe backward.

“—on how weak you are! Relying on cheap tricks to win!”

The blade met a holographic clone of 67 instead.

KRAA-SHHH! The shockwave blew 33 off balance.

Above them, the real 67 hurled her shield down.

“ARRHH!!”

It smashed into the ground. KRAA-THOOM!

Artemis on the ground rolls over narrowly missing recruit 67’s sheild slam.

33 steadied herself mid-air, eyes narrowing.

“…You’re open.”

She dove, grabbing Artemis by the collar, then hurled him through a flower-shop window.

Glass rained in shards. KRAA-SHHH!

⸻

The Calm Before

Artemis lay behind the shattered counter, his axe flickering.

Rain began to fall through the holes in the roof.

He smirked. “Enough.”

Outside, 33 and 67 stood in the downpour.

“It’ll take more than that to kill that bastard,” 67 muttered.

A few meters away, Recruit 32 stared at his trembling hands.

What should I do… run… stay… just standing here won’t help…

Then came the sound.

Tiiing—

His head snapped up. “Not again…”

“MOVE AWAY!!” he screamed.

33 and 67 turned, unable to hear him through the rain.

Behind them, space distorted — a swirling black sphere forming mid-air.

Rain slowed, droplets hanging suspended.

From the void, miniature suns emerged, bleeding black matter.

The distortion groaned like a collapsing star.

THE DEATH OF A STAR — A BLACK HOLE!

VVVMMM—

The world trembled.

⸻

TO BE CONTINUED…